arab american historian summer 2010

Arab AmericanHistorianPrairie peddlersSyrian Lebanesein North Dakota

Helen ThomasEnds 5 Decades ofDistinguishedJournalist Career

Richard Coreywins famein bullfighting

The Statueof Liberty:from Egypt to New York

HistoryConferenceto be heldin New York

JJuusstt PPuubblliisshheeddThe reference book you are waiting for

2 ARAB AMERICAN HISTORIAN Summer 2010

AArraabb AAmmeerriiccaann HHiissttoorriiaann NNeewwsslleetttteerr

E-mail your upcoming Arab American national calendar to: [email protected]

June 20- Birzeit Society, Father's Day Picnic, IrvineRegional Park, Orange, CA. Contact: (714) 390-3007,(626) 331-0491

June 22 - The 7th Arab Museum Gala with a first timeUS performance by the Enana Dance Theater. Max M.Fisher Music Center , Detroit , MI . For tickets, contact:(313) 842-4748, For more information, contact: (313)624-0204, (313) 624-0205.

June 30- July 4th - 46th Annual Melkite Convention, atthe Hyatt Regency Hotel, Seattle, WA. Contact:www.stjosephofSeattle.org

July 7-11- Maronite 47th Convention, hosted by St.Elias Maronite Church, at the Sheraton BirminghamHotel, Birmingham, Alabama. Contact: (914) 964-3070,[email protected]

Sept. 2 - First Annual Inaugural Alumni Reunion and the30th Anniversray of the Antiochian House of Studies.Keynote speaker: Metropolitan PHILIP, Archbishop ofNew York and all North America. Contact: (724) 238-3677

Sept. 24 to 26- Arab American Festival, OrangeCounty, CA., sponsored by the Arab American Council.Contact Ahmad Alam: (714) 758-3507, (714)936-9161,www.aafestival.com

October 9 to 10 - The Lebanese American Foundationand the House of Lebanon Artist' Group present BeyondBorders Art Exhibit, featuring fine artwork of LebaneseAmericans, Arab Americans and American artists, at thecity Council Art Gallery, Long Beach, CA. Contact: [email protected]

October - Arab American Historical Foundation's 5thArab American History Conference, New York City, NY,More details later. Contact: (818) 507-0333 (213) 283-9885 e-mail: [email protected]

Nov. - ALO Foundation annual banquet, more detailsto come, ALO Hayati magazine.

AArraabb AAmmeerriiccaann NNaattiioonnaall CCaalleennddaarr

A quarterly electronic newsletter published by the Arab American Historical Foundation

Dedicated to preservation and dissemination ofArab American history.

Summer 2010

Joseph R. Haiek, Editor-Founder

Editorial and research team:Bill Loughlin, Robert Thabit, Esq., Alondra Hernandez

Caterina Haiek, Wlliam Hannosh, Esq., Christina Smith,PhD.

Articles, essays, scholarly papers, book review copies and photos related to Arab American history are welcome.

ARAB AMERICAN HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONP.O.Box 291159, Los Angeles, CA 90029, U.S.A.

(818) 507-0333, (213) 283-9885 www.arabamericanhistory.org

[email protected]

We are pleased to introduce the new electronic format of theArab American Historian. We are planning to add history, pho-tos and detailed facts about the Arab American History. To facilitate our efforts, we are urging members of the Arab

American community to email historical photos, family andorganization history, including video clips on a variety of ArabAmerican events to:[email protected] are also proud to present the Arab American Almanac,

Sixth Edition. It is the most comprehensive reference bookabout Americans of Arab descent. The reader will find factualand diversified information about the energetic life of ArabAmericans and their achievements and contributions. The News Circle Publishing House has always strived to

document, preserve and disseminate the fascinating past andvigorous present of the Arab American community in theUnited States of America. In order for this culture to surviveand flourish, it must catalogue its history and keep the commu-nication lines open and continuously expand to encompass theliving and flourishing community within the American society.

Due to an acute shortage of reliable reference data coveringover 3.5 million Arab Americans, this Almanac broadens thereach and availability of pertinent information to assist educa-tors, scholars, researchers, policy makers, libraries, press/mediaand the public. Through this Almanac, Arab Americans presenttheir credentials and contributions to America, while preservingand perpetuating the legacy of their historical heritage and cul-tural identity. Active participation in our cultural, political, eco-nomic, and social life will raise our community profile and cre-ate the positive visibility it deserves. The News Circle Publishing House, founded in Los Angeles

in 1972, publishes the Arab American Affairs magazine, cover-ing Arab American news, views, culture, and history, and aver-ages 84 pages.

Joseph Haiek

LLeetttteerr ffrroomm tthhee EEddiittoorr

mailto: [email protected]

Summer 2010 ARAB AMERICAN HISTORIAN 3

By William Sherman, Paul Whitneyand John Guerrero, 404 pages, hardcover,photos and tables. Published in 2002 by theUniversity of Mary Press, Bismarck, NorthDakota

Prairie Peddlers - The Syrian-Lebanesein North Dakota is a large book that dealswith what at first sight should be a smallnumber of people. Yet its pages contain thenames of almost 2,000 individuals whowere a part of every decade of NorthDakota history. In its pages the reader willfind a surprising panorama of men, womenand children: homesteaders, peddlers andbusiness people.

Twelve years in the making, this bookis one-of-a-kind. In detail it portrays anunusual group: people of Arabic back-ground, Muslim and Christian, who settledon the Northern Plains. It’s an array ofinformation, but also a series of assess-ments.

The book was written for two specificpurposes. The first was to preserve forfuture generations information which mighteither be lost or overlooked. The materialsgathered are thus presented in a single vol-ume for one and all to peruse.

Second, it’s an attempt to understandlife as it was lived by people with a distinc-tive, non-European background who weretruly pioneers on the primitive prairie. Theauthors do this by exposing the reader to ascomplete a collection of the sources as pos-sible: many of which are first-generationreminiscences. The reader will find in thesepages the reasons for the movement to

America, the pathways to the Dakotas andthe settlement patterns. Included are thesuccesses and failures, the discriminationand acceptance.

The book focuses on the time period of1900 to 1950. No attempt was made to editout the “unpleasant and the ugly.”

The last section, the appendices, con-tains information which may be of use tothose who wish to take a more detailed lookat “the way it was.” There’s a list of everyNorth Dakota resident of Arab backgroundfound in the U.S. Census (until 1920). Soalso, there’s a record of every person ofsimilar origins who homesteaded or took

out citizenship papers, along with locationsand dates.

This compilation of data will stand as apermanent source of information for stu-dents in any of the social sciences. It cer-tainly will be of great value for those whoseek genealogical information.

The authors: William Sherman, PaulWhitney and John Guerrero have studiedand published material concerning NorthDakota historical and social subjects fortwo decades. William Sherman is a profes-sor emeritus of Sociology at North DakotaState University.

Prairie Peddlers: The Syrian-Lebanese in North Dakota

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LOS ANGELES - The Arab American Almanac, 6th edition, 608-page comprehensive reference book about Arab Americans justpublished by The News Circle Publishing House. It is sponsored bythe Arab American Historical Foundation,announced Joseph R. Haiek, publisher.

The Almanac includes twelve chapters:Arab American history, Arab contributions toworld civilization, the Kahlil Gibran literarygroup, about 85 organizations, religious insti-tutions, and over 55 publications, TV andradio programs; Who’s Who among ArabAmericans, profiles of the Arab world and theU.S.A., Arab American achievements andcontributions, Arabic language, bibliography,addresses, websites and over 550 photos.

There are about 3.5 million ArabAmericans residing in major American citiesamong them are thousands of Arab Americanscholars teaching in major American univer-sities, scientists and businessmen. This is justpart of the reference data found in the ArabAmerican Almanac, 6th Edition. It does notinclude any advertising.

The first edition of the Arab AmericanAlmanac series was published in LosAngeles in 1974 by Joseph R. Haiek, pub-lisher of The News Circle Publishing House,publishers of the Arab American Affairsmagazine, Arab American Historian elec-tronic newsletter and other reference books.

The purpose of this reference book, is to broaden the reach andavailability of pertinent, accurate and practical reference sources aboutArab Americans, while acknowledging their heritage and perpetuatingtheir culture, history and society,” Haiek said.In his Almanac foreword, Prof. Farouk El-Baz, wrote:“The Arab American Almanac has become an indispensable source

of information about citizens of the United States who hailed fromArab lands. These immigrants varied greatly in age, background, edu-cation level, and religion. They belong to every conceivable profes-sion, rich to poor, with little education to Ph.D. holders, and fromsophisticated city dwellers to farm boys. They constitute a group ofpeople as varied as the U.S. population itself. Because of their diversi-ty, they have significantly contributed to the nation in every field ofendeavor.If one is to generalize, these immigrants came mostly in three

waves. The earliest were those who arrived in the last quarter of the19th Century. These were mostly Lebanese and Syrian Christians;many were merchants. The second wave came in the middle of the20th Century, mostly to escape the heavy hand of military rule in theircountries of origin. The latest wave is the contemporary immigrantswho escape from the crushing economic conditions to seek hope for abetter future.Arabs who come to America easily dissolve in the society. They do

not come here to establish a distinct block, but they much rather dis-perse quietly. They seem to have done that so well that their impact onthe political landscape - as a block - is limited. Also, the ArabAmerican civic groups and NGOs are too numerous and sometimeswere at odds with each other. Much of that might be due to the fact that

Arab immigrants may have brought perceived ancient differences withthem from various lands of origin.A positive sign is the much younger age of the most recent wave of

immigrants. Tribal or ancient differencesbetween groups back home would not meanmuch to these young people. Therefore, theywould be less burdened by them and ready tocooperate as active members of the Americansocial fabric. Thus, if I am asked where thisAlmanac should venture next, I would nothesitate to say that it should have considerablecoverage of “Young Arab Americans.” Itshould give examples of our youth and dealwith their accomplishments as well as theirhopes and dreams.A thoughtful reader will realize how diffi-

cult it is to put a volume like this together. Itis done by seeking knowledge from disparatesources and working diligently with variousgroups with different objectives. This wouldnormally require an organization of consider-able size and the attendant resources.However, the volume is the work of one ener-getic and highly dedicated man: JosephHaiek.Joseph Haiek has tirelessly worked for

years and has done an admirable job in pro-ducing the Arab American Almanac series.He deals with the topic in its entirety, generat-ing a cross-section whose depth and breadthscholars appreciate and envy. One of the mostsignificant accomplishments is the attention

to historical details and seeking information from reputable sourcesand recognized references.This sixth edition is a testimony to Joseph Haiek’s unstinting efforts,

unlimited intellectual energy, and tireless perseverance. His work hasbrought to life a segment of American society that would otherwiseremain hidden and unappreciated. It is hoped that this volume is cov-eted by libraries throughout America as a testimony to a group ofimmigrants who have greatly contributed to the fabric of this greatnation.”

Almanac Participants: Sinior editor: Bill Loughlin; GeneralManager: Caterina Haiek; Copy Editors and Researchers:GeorgeAldridge, Natasha Gouneim, Catherine Quennoz Haiek, LouisHaiek, William Hannosh, Esq., Lara Shbeyr-Maxey, Ruth AnnSkaff, Christina Smith, Ph.D., Victoria Tamoush, Robert Thabit,Esq. Editorial Contributors: Sami Asmar, Nabil Azzam, Ph.D.,Suheil Bushrui, Ph.D., Edmund Ghareeb, Ph.D, Ray Hanania, AliJihad Racy, Ph.D., Baher Shaarawi. Graphic Design and WebsiteConsultants: Laila Haiek Nercessian, Alondra Hernandez, MarlenePanoyan.. Advisory Board: Farouk Amanatallah, Sami Asmar,Adel Barakat, Donald Bustany, Issam Chahayed, Judge JamesKaddo, Yasin Khalisi, Ph.D., Nabil Khoury, M.D., Amira Mattar,Albert Salah, Hassan Sassi, Ph.D., Maurice Sweiss, J.D., RobertThabit, Esq., Robert Habeeb Wyshak.

It is worth noting, that the word "Almanac" is an Arabic word,meaning weather or state of condition.

For more information and to place your orders, contact: the ArabAmerican Historical Foundation, P.O.Box 291159, Los Angeles, CA 90029, e-mail: [email protected]

THE ARAB AMERICAN ALMANAC, 6TH EDITIONTHE REFERENCE BOOK YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR

CCOOVVEERR SSTTOORRYY


After more than 50 years covering the White House, journalist HelenThomas announced that she is retiring immediately from HearstNewspapers, amid controversy over remarks she recently made aboutIsrael.Hearst News Service broke the news, noting that Thomas' "deci-

sion came after her controversial comments about Israel and thePalestinians were captured on videotape and widely disseminated onthe Internet."Since moving from reporter to columnist,

Thomas has made her views on Israel andother hot-button issues known. But herrecent call for Israel to "get the hell out ofPalestine" and have its citizens return toGermany or Poland drew harsh rebukesfrom political leaders on the left and right.Despite an apology from Thomas, the con-troversy only grew. Thomas' speakersagency dropped her as a client and a highschool canceled her upcoming appearanceat graduation. Press Secretary RobertGibbs said that the comments were "offen-sive and reprehensible."

The board of the White HouseCorrespondents Association also weighedin, calling Thomas' comments "indefensi-ble" and "especially unfortunate in light ofher role as a trailblazer on the White Housebeat."Thomas has had one of the most distin-

guished journalism careers over the pasthalf-century in Washington.She started out with UPI in 1943, and

began covering the White House towardthe end of the Eisenhower administration.The White House was where she reallymade her name. Since the late 1950s,Thomas has grilled every sitting president,earning a reputation as a reporter willing toask tough questions regardless of who's inpower. Thomas holds the distinction of being the

first woman to become a National PressClub officer and first woman to becomepresident of the White HouseCorrespondents Association.

Given her accomplishments andunmatched tenure in the briefing room, Thomas has been regarded asthe dean of the White House press corps and — until today — heldthe front-row center seat. Since the beginning of the controversy, ithad been an open question whether the board would take away thatperk from Thomas.

In its statement, the board said that it doesn't "police the speechof our members or colleagues" or issue White House credentials toreporters. However, the board announced plans for a special meet-ing to decide whether an opinion columnist like Thomas should get afront-row seat in the briefing room. With Thomas retiring, the boardwon't have to make the uncomfortable decision of moving a leg-endary journalist to the back of the room, but it may still decide thatit's not in the best interest of the association to have opinion writersup front.

Thomas earned her journalism degree from Wayne State Universityin 1942. She has received 40 honorary doctorate degrees, has beena commencement speaker at many colleges and universities and haslectured on the White House and the Presidency. Thomas hasauthored books including Dateline White House, and her memoirsFront Row at the White House, My Life and Times. White House

Correspondents established the HelenThomas Lifetime Achievement Award inher honor. Her numerous awards includeMichigan Women’s Hall of Fame, NationalPress Club Fourth Estate Award, NationalFederation of Press Women Award andmany others. She was named one of the 25most influential women in America by theWorld Almanac in 1976.

Born to Lebanese parents George andMary in Winchester, Kentucky in 1920,Thomas married to late reporter DouglasB. Cornell who died in 1982. She residesin Washington, D.C.

The following is part of her speechwhen she was awarded the Helen AtwellAward by The Arab American NationalMuseum in Dearborn, Michigan:”The only way for evil to prevail is for

good people to do nothing. Now I think Ishould lighten up and tell you no oneshould go into journalism if they want to beloved.

”As for the White House, I can assureyou that no president has ever liked thepress, dating back to George Washington.I wasn’t covering him but... Kennedy said:‘I am reading more and enjoying it less.’What Lyndon B. Johnson said is ‘unprint-able.’”Nixon once looked up when we walked

into the cabinet room and said, ‘It’s onlycoincidental that we’re talking about pollu-tion when the press walks in.’ PresidentFord accused me of practicing acupunctureon presidents. ”President Carter always seemed to be

saying: ‘Lord, forgive them for they knownot what they do.’ When President Reagan was told that a press hel-icopter had been fired on at the Honduran border, he said: ‘There’ssome good in everyone.’ ”And when President Clinton was asked why the press always

went along with motorcade when he went jogging he laughed andsaid: They just want to see if I drop dead. My favorite ego trip iswhen Fidel Castro was asked what was the difference between hisgovernment and our democracy? He said: ‘I don’t have to answerquestions from Helen Thomas.’”Lincoln said: ‘Let the people know the facts and the country will

be safe.’ Jefferson said: ‘Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.’Justice Brandeis said that a constant spotlight on public officialslessens the possibility of corruption.”

Helen Thomas Ends 5 Decades of Distiguished Journalistic Career in Controversy

Helen Thomas


ADC’s Comments to Helen Thomas’ Retirement

Helen Thomas, 89, Dean of the White House Press Corp,and lauded as a "Pioneer Journalist" and Trailblazer for female jour-nalists," apologized for her May 27, 2010, response when she wasasked "Any comments on Israel...?" and she responded "Tell them toget the hell out of Palestine." Upon further prodding, Ms. Thomasstated that "Remember these people are occupied and it's theirland..." and those who are the occupiers should "...go home" to"Poland, Germany...And America and everywhere else."

In her apology, Ms. Thomas wrote: "I deeply regret mycomments I made last week regarding the Israelis and thePalestinians. They do not reflect my heartfelt belief that peace willcome to the Middle East only when all parties recognize the need for

mutual respect and tolerance. May that day come soon."The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee

(ADC) thanks Ms. Thomas for her legendary service, and acknowl-edges Ms. Thomas' apology. ADC believes that Ms. Thomas shouldbe judged on her "50-plus years of probing journalism, and not on a30-second sound bite," as stated by Mr. Zool Zulkowitz, who repre-sents American Jews defending Ms. Thomas. Mr. Zulkowitz furthersaid that, "We are clear what Helen Thomas meant to say, which isthat Israel should cease its occupation of Palestine..." And, as Mr.Paul Jay wrote: "Not all criticism of Israel is anti-Semitism...HelenThomas' isn't."

As President Obama recognized in his historic address inCairo on June 4, 2009, the Palestinian people - Muslims andChristians - have endured the pain of dislocation for more than 60years. "Many wait in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza, andneighboring lands for a life of peace and security that they have neverbeen able to lead. They endure the daily humiliations - large andsmall - that come with occupation. So let there be no doubt: The sit-uation for the Palestinian people is intolerable ..."

It is our hope that other journalists would rise in Ms.Thomas' place and espouse her courage in asking the hard questions.As Ms. Katrina Vanden Heuvel wrote yesterday in the WashingtonPost: "...isn't there room for someone who made a mistake, apolo-gized and wants to continue speaking truth to power and asking toughquestions?" We certainly hope so. We also hope that we will contin-ue to celebrate Ms. Thomas' lifetime of courageous, frontline jour-nalism; and that she will not be intimidated by the recent hateful accu-sations or deterred from her insightful questioning and reporting.

ACCESS board president Noel Saleh, Esq.,center, and Ismael Ahmed , ACCESS executive director, present the Arab American of the Year Award to HelenThomas, the journalism legend during ACCESS 33rd Anniversary banquet attended by over 2,700 guests in Detroit, MI. Also Joseph R. Haiek, publisher ofthe Arab American Affairs magazine and Almanac series was presented with the same award at the banquet.

My favorite ego trip is when Fidel Castrowas asked what was the differencebetween his government and our democ-racy? He said: ‘I don’t have to answerquestions from Helen Thomas.’“

- Helen Thomas

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When Richard Corey first entered the bullfighting ring pro-fessionaly in Mexico City, the crowds cheered as he won hisfirst ear and he was carried out of the ring on their enthusiasticshoulders, an enticing act of admiration he would becomeaccustomed to in the years to come.Corey, raised in Charleston, WV, son of Lebanese parents,

lived a normal Southern lifeuntil he saw his first bullfightat 22 years of age. It was 1964in Tijuana, Mexico, and theexcitement of the fights awak-ened something in him. A newdream was born. Two yearslater, he would make that pro-fessional debut and his life asa bullfighter was born.Corey trained originally

under former novillero RafaelLarrea in Southern California.He soon moved to Mexico tolive the life of a typicalmaletilla, which in the worldof bullfighting, means young,often hungry dreamers wholook for any opportunities toperform. While in Mexico,Corey spent much of his time

in the slaughter house, where he practiced his art of killingbulls.Then in October of 1966, his chance came. His profession-

al debut was at Plaza La Aurora, a Mexico City ring. He heardsuccess in the cheering crowds.Yet the many contracts he was expecting did not materialize

right away. Craving that public attention again, he resorted to becom-

ing an espontaneo, a spectator who enters the arena to join thebullfight. He had been watching a bullfight that featuredMexico’s numero uno matador, Manolo Martinez.Corey jumped into the arena and gave four tremendous

muleta passes. The crowd cheered, but the police grabbedCorey out of the ring and began beating him. The crowd erupt-ed in protest as did the matador Martinez and the plaza judgelater pardoned the courageous Corey.It wasn’t until the late sixties that Corey began to get real

contracts. From 1967-1970, he killed dozens of novillos andwon many ears. In 1970, he won his first tail. He was carriedout of the ring on the shoulders of the crowd again. Indeed,Corey was much better received as an American bullfighter inboth Mexico and Spain than most of his American predecessors.He was reveling in the success.But the success was not painless. In July of 1968, he suf-

fered his first goring. Luckily it was a minor one, but a fewmonths later, in September, he suffered a grave goring to theright side of his groin.But he had not lost his brave blood, and Corey refused to

leave the ring until he killed his bull. Honest and enthusiasticcourage was something Corey was always known for in hisbullfighting.He was gored again in 1970 in Juarez, a small goring over

his left eye, and also fratrued his forehead.

It wasn’t all success either. In 1969, Corey failed to kill oneof his two bulls in the time allotted and, the animal was returnedto the corral, having beat Corey this time.Corey won many trophies in those years in Mexico, includ-

ing Guadalajara’s version of the Silver Sword in 1968 and theCristo Negro trophy of Aguascalientes in 1970.With all the success of the Mexico fights behind him, Corey

decided to try his luck in Spain hoping he would earn interna-tional fame there. He took a little while to get noticed in Spainoften performing in pueblos earning very little money. ButCorey’s tremendous courage thrilled the Spanish fans.Finally Corey was able to perform in the prestigious bull-

ring of the magnificent Plaza de la Maestranza. He was tossedhard that day, but was also the only one to earn an ear. And onOctober 10, 1971, Corey won his first ear as a full matador.In 1972-1974, Corey continued to fight througout Spain -

oftentimes in small towns - earning many ears and nearly adozen tails. His fans loved his casual courage and twice in the1974 season, they carried him on their shoulders, praising himas a bullfighter.Then, in 1975, Corey started to lose his love for the game.

He performed only five times and won only three ears.He was tired of putting himself at such risk, Corey admitted.

“I needed to take a break, get away from it, for a while.”Corey’s hiatus from bullfighting became permanent though

as he never again entered the ring.Today he is a family man and a businessman. He is married

with three children and lives in Charleston. He’s involved in theproduce distribution, taxi and a delivery services.

Source: The News Circle/Arab-American Affairs magazine

RICHARD COREY WINS FAME IN BULLFIGHTING ARENA

Richard Corey


BY EDMUND GHAREEBThis article is condensed from the presschapter introduction of the Arab AmericanAlmanac, 6th editionThe emergence of theArabic-language pressin America goes backto the beginning of thesettlement of immi-

grants from Arabic-speaking lands underOttoman rule. Thousands of immigrantsestablished themselves in the United Statesas peddlers, small business owners, mer-chants, workers and professionals.In its heyday, from 1890s to the 1930s,

the Arabic-language press not only playeda major role in the lives of the Arabic-speaking community in the US, but itspolitical, intellectual and technologicalinfluences reached the Arab world as well. Almost as soon as they set foot on the newland, Lebanese and Syrian immigrantsbegan to publish their papers and maga-zines. Between 1892 and 1928, over 70newspapers, magazines, journals and otherpublications were issued. In New Yorkalone, 35 papers were published, 5 inBoston, 5 in Detroit, 3 in Lawrence,Massachusetts, and 2 in Philadelphia.Some of the papers survived for only a fewmonths, others for years, and Al-Huda,before its demise in 1993, was the oldestsurviving Arabic paper, after Al-Ahram.The large number of papers was due to thefragmented nature of the community and toits intellectual vibrancy. The immigrants’ real numbers during this time is still unknown.

Estimates vary, from about 10 to 50 thousand by the 1890s, and a lit-tle over 250 to 300 thousand by the 1920s. It was within this smallcommunity that a diverse and vibrant press which served as the incu-bator of a lively and far-reaching literary and artistic movementemerged. This movement rejected the traditional techniques, formsand styles of the homeland authors, and launched an unprecedentedradical literary and cultural movement, which was imitated by newgenerations of writers and poets in al-Mahjar, the diaspora, and in theArab world. The movement took its shape in literary societies inNorth and South America. Among them were the Pen League (al-Rabitah al-Qalamiyah), the Golden Circle, and the Andallusian Band(al-Usbah al-Andalusiyah) in South America. The papers provided the opportunity for writers such as Amin al-

Rihani, Mikhail Naimy, Abd al-Masih and Nadra Haddad, Iliya AbuMadhi, Afifah Karam, Nasib Aridha, and many others the opportuni-ty to reach a wide audience with their messages and styles, and to testreaders’ reaction to their contributions.The press came to serve as a school to educate immigrants, the

majority of whom did not know English, and it provided them with

knowledge about the rest of the world. They learned about their newcountry, its system of government, and its politics. The papers alsowere an important tie between the immigrants and the “old country”.The press also adopted major nationalist causes and issues, and called

on readers to help achieve the liberation ofSyria and Lebanon, and other Arab lands,first from the Turks, and later from theFrench and English. Some papers also calledfor independence from the British, Frenchand other colonizers after World War II. The freedom to publish which these immi-grants experienced in the US was a greatboon to them, but it sometimes only helped toaccentuate the differences existing in theirhomeland. The early immigrants to Americabrought with them all of their customs, tradi-tions, differences and sectarian identities, aswell as their love for the homeland they wereforced to leave. At times, this press inAmerica entered into fierce battles andrecriminations, which only served tostrengthen divisions and conflict. Each sectfavored certain foreign powers, consequentlyAl-Huda was Maronite, Lebanese and pro-French, Miraat al-Gharb Orthodox, Arabistand pro-Russian. Al-Bayan was Islamic andpro-Ottoman. and later on pan-Arab.

The first paper to be published in the USwas the moderate, bilingual weekly, KawkabAmerica, launched in 1892 by Najib andIbrahim Arbeely, sons of Dr. Yusuf Arbeely, aSyrian physician and educator who hadtaught at the Syrian Protestant College inBeirut. The Arbeelys are thought to be thefirst family to migrate together to the US, in1878. Because of the influence of theArbeely family, the Ottoman governmentallowed them to import Arabic letters to pub-

lish in the US. Al-Kawkab saw its purpose as reporting the news ofthe growing number of Ottomans in America.In its first issues, Kawkab America focused on defining and identi-

fying the role of journalism and its significance. They also publishedArabic-language advertising, including ads for sweets, breads, araq,and Persian tobacco. The ads were highly-literate and funny.The paper avoided the intra-press wars and supported the Ottoman

Empire. It widely covered the community’s activities. It also debat-ed the negative and positive aspects of immigration. The paper laterbecame a daily, and reported on American news, Ottoman news, andnews of Russia. In 1895, al-Kawkab published al-Bakoura al-Gharbiya, the first book to teach English to the immigrants, and thefirst book to be published by the Arabic press in America.The second newspaper published in America was al-Ayyam ( The

Days), published by Yusuf Maalouf. It was opposed to the OttomanEmpire, and its pages were full of attacks against Ottoman rulers. Thethird was al-Asr (The Epoch), founded by Naoum Mokarzel in 1894.It only survived for a few months. Three other newspapers wereestablished in 1898: al-‘Alam (The World), founded by Jirji Jabbour;al-Islah (The Reform), founded by Shibli Dammous. Al-Huda was the

A Brief History of the Arabic LanguagePress in the US

Front page of KawkabAmerica, the first Arabic

newspaper,published by

Dr. Najeeb Arbeely,in New York, 1892.


most influential of the Arabic papers and the most technologicallyinnovative and aesthetically attractive. Al-Huda was established byNaoum Mukarzel... It continued until 1971 under 3 different mem-bers of the Mokarzel family. In 1971 its new owner, Faris Stephen(Istfan), continued to publish until the early 1990s. A study in 1922showed that only Al-Huda had considerable advertising and circula-tion outside of the US, including Lebanon, Syria, Mexico, Brazil andCuba, and that its circulation reached over the 30,000 mark.The newspapers mirrored the reality of immigrant life in its vari-

ous sta Several of the papers, including Miraat al-Gharb, al-Bayan,al-Nisr and Al-Huda, adopted major nationalist causes and issues, andcalled on their readers to help achieve the liberation of Syria andLebanon from the Turks. Some, especially Al-Huda, provided an important link with othercommunities in Canada, South America,Australia, Egypt and Europe. The growing matu-rity of the press and the community allowed thepress to become a weapon of enlightenment anda positive instrument to fight for the rights of thecommunity and for the liberation and democratiza-tion of the old country.Al-Huda was the first Arabic newspaper to clear-

ly separate news from opinion in its coverage, andto follow the American style of using headlines, dis-play captions and pictures in its layout, indicatingthe content of the news stories and features. It setthe standard for the Arabic-speaking world, whichwas later followed by many papers. The paper wasone of the main instruments to alert and mobilize the immigrants tohumanitarian and political crises in their homeland, as was the caseduring World War I, when one-fourth of Lebanon’s citizens died offamine and disease. One of the early issues which angered and mobilized the commu-

nity and untied the press was a US court decision declaring theSyrians “non-white Asians”, unworthy of becoming Americans. BothMokarzel and his rival Najeeb Dhiyab of Miraat al-Gharb, and otherswho, at times, were at each other’s throats, worked hard and long tochange the ruling.A committee for the freedom of immigration was also established

to pursue the right of the immigrants to US citizenship. The decisionwas finally reversed after several years of active lobbying of judicialand immigration authorities.Most of the papers were active opponents of any efforts by the

Ottoman government to undermine Lebanon’s autonomy. Mokarzel,for example, launched the Lebanese League of Progress (al-Nahdhah), which came to have over 50 branches in the US, and manyothers abroad, to safeguard Lebanon’s autonomy, and later to demandits independence. The press and the community were greatly alarmed by the famine

and political oppression in Lebanon during World War I. Lebanesecommunities in Egypt and other places sought help from immigrantcommunities in the US. The aid that was given by the different com-munities to the families in Lebanon reached 2.5 million dollars, whichwas an amazing amount, taking into account the small size of thecommunity at that time, and the fact that many of them were quitepoor. Another very important committee favored by al-Miraat andal-Sayeh magazine was called the Lebanese-Syrian NationalLiberation Committee. This was established in New York with AyoubThabit as its head, and Gibran as its Secretary General. The UnitedState’s denial of the rights of citizenship led to fierce battles. Someeditors and intellectuals successfully sought the aid of other Americangroups, including the Foreign Press Association, of which Naoumwas a member of its board. This, however, did not deter its editors. The publisher of Al-Huda

was among those editors who were sentenced to death in absentia.Some other editors, however, were caught and executed, while otherswere exiled.The press also served as a training arena for young writers and jour-nalists. One of these examples is Afifah Karam, a young woman whobecame one of the American and Arabic women journalistic pioneers.She benefited from her work with al-Huda, where she started in 1899.In 1912, she decided to start her own magazine, The New Woman’sWorld (al-Alam al-Nisai al-Jadid), one of four magazines focusing onwomen’s issues in the entire Arabic-speaking world. She said thatwomen were equal to men, and proved this by calling on Syrian fam-ilies to end their oppression of their women, and not to deny them

their natural, social and scientific rightsAl-Huda, al-Funun and al-Miraat were very

diligent in maintaining a grammatically cor-rect, high quality of Arabic. Naoum construct-ed Arabic words for telephone and a few otherEnglish words, maintained a level not matched

by many papers in the Arab world.On another front more than 200 books were

published on Arabic literature, both ancient andmodern. Six books were published on Americanhistory and three each on Egyptian, and Turkishhistory. Three were published about the ArabRevolt, three on the French Revolution and two onthe Russian Revolution.There were 15 books on Lebanese and 10 on

Syrian history. Five were printed on medicine andone on family planning. Seven on the life of Jesus, 19 on immigra-tion, and three books on minorities in America. The second phase for the Arabic press lasted from the 1920s until the1950s. The third phase was the one that really began in the 1960s and con-tinues to the present day, concerned with the arrival of many of whomwere better-educated immigrants from Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt,Iraq and other Arab countries leading to the revival of interest in theArabic-language press. The main catalyst, however, was the 1967defeat of the Arabic countries by Israel and the growing stereotypingof Arabs in the American media. These factors contributed both to therise of new publications and to new Arab-American organizationssuch as the AAUG, the NAAA and the ADC.

Edmund Ghareeb, Ph.D., is a widely recognized authority onIraq, the Kurds, American foreign policy, the Gulf, U.S. media coverage of the Arab World. The first Mustafa BarzaniDistinguished Scholar in Residence in Kurdish studies atAmerican University’s Center for Global Peace and is anadjunct professor at the School of International Service.A lecturer and adjunct professor at Georgetown WashingtonUniversity where he has taught courses on Iraq, Syria and theArabian Peninsula. Has also taught at the University of Virginiaand McGill University. Advisory board member of editors of The Middle East and The Jordan Journals. Co-author of theHistorical Dictionary of Iraq and of War in the Gulf , and theeditor of Split Vision: The Portrayal of Arabs in the AmericanMedia. His other works include the Kurdish NationalistMovement, The Kurdish Question in Iraq, and is the co authorof, al-Siyassah al-Amrikiyyah wa al- Watan al-Arabi, al-Taqqrir al-Istratiji al-Khaliji , Thawrat al-Ma’lumat fi al-I’lamal-Arabi al-Jadid. A journalist, a media consultant and a commentator for the BBC Arabic Radio and TV, al-JazeerahArabic and English channels and for Abu Dhabi TV. He iswidely interviewed by major American, Arab, and internationalmedia outlets.

NaoumMoukarzal

Sallom Moukarzal

1986 - The Egyptian Story Behindthe Statue of Liberty

In 1986 “Arab-Americans for Liberty,” under the chairman-ship of Casey Kasem, Los Angeles, held fund-raising events inWashington, D.C. and other cities and solicited donationstoward the group’s $100,000 pledge for the restoration work onthe Statue of Liberty. Arab-Americans con-tributed to the restoration of the statue andthe Liberty Week Centennial celebrations.Los Angeles musician Dr. A. Jihad Racyplayed traditional Arab music at an ethnicfolk festival in Lower Manhattan as part ofthe Liberty Week festivities. Other Arab-American musicians from New York includ-ed Dr. Simon Saheen, playing oud and vio-lin, and Hanna Mirhije, playing percussion. The Arabic roots of the Statue of Liberty

go back to Egypt, when its sculptor FredricAuguste Bartholdi, influenced by Egypt’sgreat monuments and pyramids, was com-missioned to create a statue to be called the“Statue of Progress” for the entrance of theSuez Canal, according to the followingexcerpt taken from the book The Statue ofLiberty by Marvin Trachtenberg, VikingPress, 1976: “Frederic Auguste Bartholdi in1856 accompanied Leon Gerome, Bally,and Berchere – a group of orientalistpainters – on a long trip to Egypt, a fashion-able undertaking at the time. Bartholdi, veryserious about the trip, not only made a num-ber of remarkably good photographs (thenbecoming the rage), but took careful note ofthe great monuments that had drawn him onso long a journey. And it was this voyage upthe Nile that seems to really have broughtout his latent attraction to the colossal clas-sical sculpture.“The Egypt of Thebes and Abu Simbel

remained for all to behold, and admire itBartholdi most passionately did. Thirtyyears later (after an intermediate visit) hewrote:“‘We are filled with profound emotion in

the presence of these colossal witnesses,centuries old, of a past that to us is almost infinite, at whose feetso many generations, so many million existences, so manyhuman glories, have rolled in the dust. These granite beings, intheir imperturbable majesty, seem to be still listening to themost remote antiquity. Their kindly and impassible glanceseems to ignore the present and to be fixed upon an unlimitedfuture. These impressions are not the result simply of a beauti-ful spectacle, nor of the poetry of historic remembrances. Theyresult from the character of the form and the expression of the

work in which the design itself expresses after a fashion infinity.’“Though his academic scruples prevented him from ever imi-

tating Egyptian art directly – except for certain architectural ref-erences – its grandiose success in the colossal mode haunted him,and the dream of equalling it became a mainspring of his life.“To a large extent this ambition can be said to have been ful-

filled, for by far his most successfulworks – and they did bring him greatfame – were the Liberty and the Lionof Belfort, a patriotic memorial to thetown’s heroic defenders of 1871 builtinto the cliffs below the fortress in theform of a 22 by 11 meter feline – across between Khafre’s Sphinx atGizeh and Thorvaldsen’s Lion ofLucerne.“The impetus for Bartholdi’s two

colossi came out of the war of 1870-71and its aftermath. But already in thelate years of the Second Empire,Bartholdi, encouraged, it seems, by theEmpress Eugenie herself, hadapproached Khedewi Ismail Pasha,ruler of Egypt, with a project during hisvisit to Paris in connection with theUniversal Exposition of 1867.“Bartholdi saw the possibility of

achieving a colossal project in the landof his dreams. Its location was to be atthe entrance to the Suez Canal nearingcompletion in 1867 when Bartholdifirst proposed it. In form a colossal fal-lah (fallah, in Arabic, means farmer)many times life-size and holding alofta torch, the theme being ‘Progress’ or‘Egypt carrying the Light to Asia’, itwas to be the embodiment of Ismail’sefforts at Europeanization and referredparticularly to the great new canalitself. It was to serve as a lighthouse,thus recalling the Pharaohs ofAlexandria.“Bartholdi worked on the Suez

project intermittently over the two suc-ceeding years experimenting with the

movement of the figure in a number of clay maquettes and draw-ings. In 1869 he attended the festive opening ceremonies of thecanal (for which Verdi’s Aida was commissioned, although notcompleted in time), taking the opportunity to solicit Ismailagain. His response was encouraging; he even involved himselfin the scheme sufficiently to suggest that the light be carried notin the hand but native style – atop the head. However, Ismail’sinterest was transient; more pressing problems were soon to con-front him.

A sketch of the proposed statue that Bartholdi wanted to erect

at the entrance of the Suez Canal in Egypt.

The Statue of Liberty Story: From Egypt to New York


Serving as America’s diplomatic representatives around theworld, diplomats promote foreign policy, resolve disputes, andprotect American citizens abroad. The six accomplished diplo-mats featured on these stamps are remembered for their contri-butions to international relations - not only as negotiators andadministrators but also as trailblazers,shapers of policy, peacemakers, andhumanitarians. This souvenir sheet consistsof a collage by Fred Otnes featuring detailsfrom photographs of six diplomats placedin front of visas, passport pages, and otherephemera associated with diplomacy.The six distinguished American diplomatshonored in these stamps are: Charles E.Bohlen, Hiram Bingham IV, Philip Habib,Robert Murphy, Clifton R. Wharton, Sr.and Frances E. WillisPhilip Habib (1920-1992) a renowned

career diplomat, was an authority onSoutheast Asia, a peace negotiator in theMiddle East, and a special envoy to someof the world's most dangerous flash points.The portrait of Philip C. Habib is a detailfrom an undated photograph by BruceHoertel.Following service in the U.S. Army dur-

ing World War II, Habib became a teachingresearch assistant at the University ofCalifornia, Berkeley, 1947. Beginning in 1965, Habib served as a political counselor inSaigon just as the Vietnam War was escalating, and he soonbecame an expert on the region, serving in Washington asDeputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairsand then serving for three-and-a-half years on the Vietnampeace talks in Paris. From 1971 to 1974 he served as ambassa-dor to South Korea. From 1976 until 1978 he served as Under

Secretary for Political Affairs. He also served as Diplomat inResidence at Stanford University.Born in Brooklyn, of Lebanese-American parents, Habib stud-ied forestry at the University of Idaho and earned a Ph.D. ineconomics from the University of California, Berkeley. In 1949

he became a Foreign Service Officer andwas subsequently posted to Canada, NewZealand, and Trinidad.Habib retired for health reasons in 1980,

but in 1981 he came out of retirement for aseries of high-profile special assignments. He served as President Ronald Reagan'spersonal representative to the Middle East,where he spent two years engaged in high-profile shuttle diplomacy that helped reducetensions in the region. He also served as aspecial envoy to the Philippines and CentralAmerica.

In 1982 Habib was awarded thePresidential Medal of Freedom, the nation'shighest civilian award.Commenting about this distinguish honorbestowed upon a leading community per-sonality, Robert S. Andrews, chairman ofAmericans for Kahlil Gibran PostageStamp Committee, said:“Philip Habib was a great statesman wor-

thy of a postage stamp in his honor. KahlilGibran, another American of Lebanese

descent, an artist, philosopher, poet and author of “TheProphet,” so far sold over 8 million copies worldwide andtranslated to over 40 languages, deserves similar recognition in2008, the 125th year of his birth.”The Arab-American Historical Foundation sent a letter to the

Postmaster acknowledging with thanks for honoring PhilipHabib’s distinguished diplomatic contributions to America.

4 - ARAB AMERICAN HISTORIAN FALL 2005

Philip Habib Among Distinguished American Diplomats on New U.S. Postage Stamp Series

Philip Habib

17 Arab-American Affairs June-July 2008

THE KAHLIL GIBRAN CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL FOUNDATIONannounces a renewed commitment to restoring and maintaining the Kahlil Gibran Memorial Garden

located in Washington, D.C. on Massachusetts Avenue across from the British Embassy

THE KAHLIL GIBRAN MEMORIAL GARDEN Is a tribute to Gibran, a Lebanese-born poet and philosopher known and beloved throughout the world. Dedicated in1991, the Memorial Garden is also our gift to the people of the United States. It now needs repair, restoration and

ongoing maintenance. This noble responsibility is ours, as Americans of Arab descent and all friends of Gibran KahlilGibran. Join us to restore this sacred space to its original luster and maintain it perpetually.

WE ARE ASKING YOUR SUPPORT TO MAINTAIN The Kahlil Gibran Memorial Garden in Washington, DC..

PLEASE SEND YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO:KAHLIL GIBRAN CENTENNIAL FOUNDATION

C/O MICHAEL E. BAROODY, TREASURER,,4628 Newcomb Place, Alexandria, VA 22304

Kahlil Gibran Centennial Foundation Board of Directors: Dr. Donald E. Hanna, President; Richard Karam Vice-President;Michael E. Baroody, Treasurer; Martha L. Owen, Corresponding Secretary;Members: Michele Forzley,Corporate Secretary; Kelly Aide, Mariam Swydan Erickson,Greg Gormanous, Helen Hatab Samhan, Dr. Albert F.

Johary,Phyllis A. JosephPeggy Anawaty Karam, Miriam Khoury, Victoria L. Linden, David MartinousAlfred Mansour, Michael Shikany, Raymond Zoghbyand Rose Zwan

Honorary Members: Congressman Nick Rahall of West Virginia, Congressman Darrell Issa of California; Congressman Charles W. Boustany, Jr. of Louisiana;

Sheryl Ameen Fiegel,Ruth Ann Skaff, William Anawaty, Jr., Robert S. Andrews,Adelene Abercia, Paul and Julia Collins

Gibran: “Work is Love made visible.”

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

With compliments of Joseph R. Haiek - Arab American Historical Foundation

The Titanic Arab Tale (1912)BY RAY HANANIA

Aboard the ill-fated voyage of the Titanic were passengersof Arab heritage. All told, there were only 706 survivors of the2,223 passengers and crew who sailed on the maiden voyage ofthe Titanic. There were 79 passengers whose surnames are ofobvious Arab heritage. Also lost in what is one of the greatesttragedies of the 20th Century was a priceless copy of theRubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. The book had 1,051 semi-preciousstones set in 18-carat gold, 5,000 separate pieces of coloredleathers and 100 square feet of 22-carat gold leaf in the tooling.Although one Arab survivor and several other sources con-

tend there were more than 165 Arabs on board, I searched andreviewed every name on the passenger, crew and businessconcessionaire list and only could identify 79 names. Geller, in her account of the Titanic tragedy, Titanic:

Women and Children First, writes there “officially were 154Syrians on board the Titanic, and 29 were saved: four men,five children and 20 women. All the Arab passengers wereticketed Third Class, except four who traveled SecondClass.” We can only guess in some instances, and my instincttells me the number, 79, is slightly low.Not told at these hearings were the remorseful tales of

tragedy that accompanied the Arab passengers, some of whomdeparted on the voyage with visions of new futures in newworlds. We know of their stories thanks in large part to peoplelike Philip Hind and Michael A. Findlay, who authored aninformative memorial to the Titanic that is on the Web.

Ray Hanania is an author and journalist based in Chicago.

1876 • The Centennial Exposition in Philadelphiaattracted merchants from throughout the Arab world. Thesemerchants brought the perfume of attar of roses, olive woodcarvings, gold filagree jewels, amber beads, ceramic vases,and rosaries. Religious items from Palestine, and especiallythose from Jerusalem, sold so well that a number of theseArab merchants sent home for more. They peddled theseitems throughout the area, and many stayed to set up importcenters for other peddlers and to become American citizens.

1948- The first in a series of international conventions tookArab-Americans to Syria and Lebanon for what was called“The Convention of the Absent Ones” or “The OverseasConvention.” The convention, which was one month in length(two weeks in Syria and two weeks in Lebanon), was organizedby the Syrian-Lebanese Federation of the Eastern States in con-junction with the other federations now known as the NationalAssociation of Syrian-Lebanese Federations. The presidingofficer of the convention was Frank Maria; the conventionchairman was Joseph Sado. A number of meetings took placebetween the coordinating committee of the NationalAssociation of Syrian-Lebanese Federations and members ofthe U.S. Department of State prior to the overseas convention.The Department of State looked upon the convention as anopportunity to further strengthen relations between the U.S. andthe Arab world. It was known in Dr. Maria’s words as a “peo-ple to people” program.

Col. James Jabara World War II Flying Ace

1939-1945 • Because ethnic records werenot kept, it is difficult to ascertain exactnumbers who served in the U.S. ArmedForces during World War II. But it is a rea-sonable estimate that at least 30,000 GIs ofArab lineage fought for this country againstHitler, Mussolini, and General Tojo ofJapan. Judging by isolated records, it islikely that a great percentage also enlistedin World War I. In fact, America’s firstWorld War II flying ace was Col. JamesJabara. A native of Wichita, Kansas, and ofLebanese descent, Jabara would later shootdown 15 Russian MIGS in the Korean War

to extend his top “ace” status into the 1950s (a fighter “ace” isdesignated when a pilot downs more than five of the enemy’saircraft). Jabara was virtually unknown by the Syrian communi-ty in the United States until his name was flashed across bannerheadlines in the New York Times. He was awarded twoDistinguished Flying Crosses, and in 1950 he was named by theAir Force Association as its most distinguished aviator. He diedin a car accident in 1966.

Time Magazine in its July 15, 1974 issue under the heading“200 Faces for the future” presented three Arab-Americansamong its portfolio of 200 young American leaders. A. RobertAbboud, deputy chairman of the First Chicago Corp., holdingcompany for the powerful First National Bank of Chicago;James Abourezk, first U.S. Senator of Arabic Heritage of SouthDakota, who, after his single term in Congress captured theSenate seat in 1972; and Ralph Nader, who indicted U.S.automakers (Unsafe at Any Speed) in 1965 and was aided by“Nader’s Raiders”, some 28 full-time attorneys and 56 congres-sional lobbyists, researchers, organizers and thousands of vol-unteers.

1950• Attorney George Kasem became the first Arab-AmericanU.S. Congressman. He represented the 25th District in LosAngeles and later became a judge in West Covina City,California.

Who is Who in Arab-American History

1891 • The Faour brothers: George, Daniel and Dominickfounded the first Syrian bank on Washington Street inManhattan, New York.

Col. James Jabara

Arab American History



• Auto Accidents•W o r k e r ’ sCompensation• Personal Injury• Criminal Cases• Immigration

Attorney George Jamil Shalhoub

(818) 264-3836 Fax: (818) 264-38365187 Chimineas Ave., Tarzana, CA 91357

1922 • The Homsey brothers started building a 116,000 sq.ft. discount store in Oklahoma. Later, in 1959, they moved to alarger facility with 1,400 car parking spaces. The five Homseybrothers were: Paul, Harry, Benny, Joe, and Sam.

• Frank A. Bitar was born in Tripoli, Lebanon in 1902 and cameto Portland, Oregon in 1922 with his brother Robert A. Bitar, wholater became the honorary Consul of Lebanon. They owned andoperated Bitar Brothers food store in Laurelhurst until the mid-forties, when they formed Empire Construction Company, doingbusiness in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. The brothersformed Bitar Brothers Property Investment and Management.

1924• New York and New Jersey were the business centers of theSyrian community. There were more than 25 silk factories inPaterson and West Hoboken, New Jersey. They were considered tohave distinctive weaving skills. According to Charles Hayek ofFlorida, the state of New Jersey had special tax incentives andprivileges for all silk weavers. That is why most of the Hayekswere in New Jersey since 1920. (Hayek, in Arabic, means weav-er.)

1925 • A group of Muslim immigrants in Cedar Rapids, Iowa,who rented a building to serve as a mosque, formed an organiza-tion to bind themselves together religiously, socially, and cultur-ally. This was known as “The Rose of Fraternity Lodge.”

1977 • January - Bill Baroody, center, joined the AmericanEnterprise Institute, as executive vice president. He was hon-ored by President Gerald Ford as The Distinguished Fellow ofthe American Enterprise Institute, Washington, D.C., alongwith some 20 other top officials including Antonin Scalia,James Miller and Robert Bork. Bill Baroody, Jr., left.


Kahlil Gibran: His Life and World, Jeanand Kahlil Gibran (Cousin); 464pp., NewYork Graphic Society, Boston, MA, 1981-1991. Gibran Khalil, philosophical essay-ist, novelist, mystic poet, and artist.Principal Arabic works: A Tear and aSmile (1914), Spirits Rebellious (1920),The Broken Wings (1922), and the poetrycollection The Procession (1923).Principal English works: The Madman(1918), The Forerunner (1920), TheProphet (1923), Sand and Foam (1926),Jesus, the Son of Man (1928).

Kahlil Gibran: Man and Poet, Suheil Bushrui and JoeJenkins, biography of Arab-American poet, OneworldPublications, Oxford, England, 1998.

Palestine Inside Out: An Everyday Occupation, SareeMakdisi. Discusses the most important but least visible aspectsof life under occupation such as permits, passes, curfews, andclosures that have isolated Palestinian communities from theirlands, 387 pp, New York, NY, W.W. Norton & Company,2008.

Social and Political Attitudes of Arab-Americans, Baha Abu-Laban, Washington, D.C., American-Arab Anti-DiscriminationCommittee Research Institute, 1992.

The Song of Our Syrian Guest, William Knight, Boston, MA,Pilgrim Press, 1906.

Split Vision: The Portrayal of Arabs in the Media, Edited byEdmund Ghareeb, the role of the media in shaping U.S. perceptiontoward Arabs is explored, American-Arab Affairs Council, 402 pp,hard cover, Washington, D.C., 1983.

The Story of Lebanon and Its Emigrants, Al-Hoda, NewYork, NY, Al-Hoda Press, 1968.

The Syrian American Soldier in Three Wars, Gabriel Ward,New York, NY, Syrian American Press, 1919.

Syria and Syrians from the Window of History, Philip K.Hitti, New York, NY, Syrian American Press Year. ABicentennial Presentation - Our Near Eastern Heritage; TwinCities: Fall River, New Bedford. Younis, Adele L. Salem, MA,Salem State College, New York, NY, Vanguard Press, 1914.

Syrians in the United States of America, Philip K. Hitti,Cairo, Matba’at al-Muqtataf, 1922.

Taking Root -- Bearing Fruit: the Arab-AmericanExperience, published by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), Dr. James Zogby, Editor,Washington, D.C., including photographs; 144pp, 1984.

The Syrians of the City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, IreneNicholas, Milwaukee, WI, Institute of the Y.M.C.A., 1929.

Tales of the Emigrant, A. A. Haddad, New York, NY, SyrianAmerican Press, 1921.

Malouf the Ghassani Legacy, George Hanna Malouf, covershistory of the Malouf family tree; 620pp, Malouf PublicationsInternational, Hereford, TX, 1992.

Saga America: A Startling New Theory on the Old WorldSettlement of America Before Columbus, by Barry Fell, whoalso authored America B.C., presents a new theory on pre-Columbus settlements of America, including Libyans,Egyptians, and Phoenicians who left visible marks of theirearly expeditions, and it includes old Arabic calligraphy andartifacts, 392 pp, New York Times Books Co., 1983.

Syria and Syrians from the Window of History, Philip K.Hitti, New York, NY, Syrian American Press Year. ABicentennial Presentation - Our Near Eastern Heritage; TwinCities: Fall River, New Bedford. Younis, Adele L., Salem, MA,Salem State College, New York, NY, Vanguard Press, 1914.

Making Music in the Arab World:The Culture and Artistry of Tarab,A.J. Racy, a well-known scholar of eth-nomusicology and a professor at theUniversity of California, Los Angeles(UCLA); examines aspects of musicalcraft, including the basic skills, themusician’s inspiration, love lyrics astools of ecstasy, and the relationshipbetween performers and listeners; 360pp, Cambridge University Press, 2003.Cambridge University Press.

Coming of Arabic-Speaking People to the U.S. Adele L.Younis, Philip M. Kayal, editors, book on Arab immigration andethnicity, Center for Migration Studies, Staten Island, NY, 1995.

Arabs in America: Myths and Realities, Abu-Laban Baha &Faith T. Zeady, editors. Includes papers on the Western pressand on Arabs in America in Social Science textbooks, TheMedina University Press International, Wilmette, IL.

Arab World Notebook, published by Najda: WomenConcerned about the Middle East; Audrey Shabbas and Prof.Ayad Al-Qazzaz, Berkeley, CA. A collection of materials forsecondary school teachers, 1980.

Arab Writers in America: Critical Essays and AnnotatedBibliography; English/Arabic. Contributors: Fawzi Abdulrazak,Salih Jawad Altoma, George N. Atiyeh, Issa J. Boullata, SalmaKhadra Jayyusi, Mounah Khouri, Francine H. McNulty, KamilM. al-Shaibi, Michael J. Zwettler; Dar Mahjar Publishing andDistribution, Cambridge, MA, 1981.

Sitti’s Secrets, Naomi Shihab Nye, Simon and SchusterChildren’s, 1997.

BBOOOOKKSS && PPRREESSSS


Arab America Today: A Demographic Profile of ArabAmericans, John Zogby, The Arab-American Institute,Washington, D.C.

Arab-American Almanac, the most compre-hensive reference book series on Arab-Americans in the U.S., the 5th edition, 560pages. Joseph R. Haiek, Publisher-Editor; TheNews Circle Publishing House: PO Box 3684Glendale, CA 91221-0684(818)507-0333, Fax:(818) 246-1936, www.arab-american-affairs.net

Arab American Biography, two volumes, Loretta Hall andBridget K. Hall, profiles of 75 noteworthy Arab Americans,UXL,1999. Detroit, MI.

Arab American Encyclopedia, by Dr. Anan Ameri andDawn Ramey, editors, sponsored by the Arab CommunityCenter for Economic Social Services a reference bookexploring the history and culture of the diverse groups of ArabAmericans, 320 pages, published by UXL/ the GaleGroup, 2000. Detroit, MI.

Arab/American: By Gary Paul Nabhan, University ofArizona Press, 144 pages, 2008

The Arab Americans, by Alixa Naff, detailed history of twogenerations of Syrian immigrants. Chelsea House Publishers,1998. New York, NY.

The Arab Americans, by Randa Kayyali, chronicles the firstwave of Arab immigrants, mostly Christian men from Syria,Lebanon and Palestine, as they arrive in America between1880 and 1925. Published by Greenwood Press, 2005.

The Arab Americans, A History, Gregory Orfalea, 435 pp,Olive Branch Press, 2006. Northampton, MA. California’s Arab Americans, by Janice Marchner, a look atthe history of Arab Americans in California and their contribu-tions to its development. Published by Coleman Ranch Press,161 pages, 2003.

Carpenter from Nazareth: A Palestinian Portrait, Azmi S.Audeh, description of the life of a Palestinian family inPalestine, Israel, and the United States, Audeh Publishers,1998. Boulder, CO.

Cedars by the Mississippi: The Lebanese Americans in theTwin Cities, Viviane Doche, San Francisco, CA, R and EResearch Associates, 1978.

Children of the Roojme: A Family’s Journey fromLebanon, Elmaz Abinader, University of Wisconsin Press,1997.

Christianity in Iraq, Suha Rassam, 203 pp, Gracewing,Herefordshire, England, 2005.

A Doctor in Galilee: The Life and Struggle of a Palestinianin Israel, Hatim Kanaaneh, 267pp, Pluto Press, 2008. AnnArbor, MI.

Educational Guide for Syrian Students in the UnitedStates, Philip K. Hitti, 1921, New York, NY, Syrian AmericanPress.

Al-Durrah al-Ganimia Fi al-Harb al-Kawnia (First WorldWar Stories), George Rameh Ghamim; 460pp, the Syrian-American Commercial Press, 1923. Salloum Mokarzel owner,New York, NY.

Durar wa Ghurar (Bedouin Poetry and Prose), BisharaKassis al-Mushammal, 488pp in Arabic, Los Angeles

Egyptian Images, Salah Kanakri, artistic depiction of Egyptin mid-20th century, 100 pp, 2002. Artimax, Glendale, CA

Emerging Ethnicity: The Arab-Americans in the U.S., AliS. Zaghel, University of Utah.

Emigration from Syria and the Syrian-LebaneseCommunity of Worcester, Massachusetts, Najib E. Saliba,Liogonier, PA, Antakya Press, 1992.

Ethnic Heritage in North Dakota, Attiyeh Foundation,Washington, D.C., Attiyeh Foundation Boston, MA, SouthEnd Press, 1994.

Etching Our Own Image: Voices From Within the ArabAmerican Art Movement - Edited by Holly Arida and AANM Director Dr. Anan Ameri, Director of the Arab-American National Museum.Published by Cambridge ScholarsPublishing of Great Britain. The book represents the highlightsof the Museum’s first DIWAN: A Forum for the Arts, a confer-ence for Arab American artists and scholars in all disciplinesheld in 2006.

“Evil” Arabs in American Popular Film, Orientalist Fear,Tim Jon Semmerling, 255 pp, University of Texas Press, 2006.Austin, Texas.

Journey of a Yemeni Boy, Rashid A. Abdu.This autobiography follows a Yemeni boy ashe pursues his dream to become a surgeon inthe United States, 556 pp, M.D., DorrancePublishing Co., 2005. Pittsburgh, PA.

Jerusalem in History, K.J. Asali, editor,comprehensive outline of the city’s history, 380pp, OliveBranch Press, 2000. Brooklyn, NY.

Sands of Vengeance, Antonio Saba, gripping saga of twinbrothers, Chambers Publishing Group, 1997. Cleveland, OH.

Saudi Arabia: Rush to Development, by Ragaei El Mallakh,the Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, a profileof Saudi Arabia energy, economy and investments, bankingand international trade. 472 pp, 1982.

arab american historian summer 2010

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